St. Paul double homicide: Charges against 32-year-old man reveal details

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Prosecutors charged a St. Paul man in connection to the double homicide Thursday afternoon in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood.

Joseph Sandoval II, 32, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder with intent but not premeditated in the death of the two men in a St. Paul sober house.

On Thursday afternoon, St. Paul officers responded to a report of a man screaming about a person who had killed someone inside a home on the 1100 block of Lawson Avenue East, according to the criminal complaint.

Upon entering the home, officers saw blood in the kitchen and on the stairs leading down to the basement. The complaint states officers found a 40-year-old man dead in the basement and located another 56-year-old man dead in the upstairs bedroom. 

Police have not identified the victims as of this writing. 

Officers said they saw Sandoval leaving the home, and he had blood on his clothing and marks on his face and hands. Police also located a bloody knife and hammer at the scene, according to the complaint.

During the investigation, a witness told police he tried to enter the home and Sandoval attempted to block him saying it was "too messy." The witness went into the basement and saw the dead man. He told police he tried to escape but claimed Sandoval prevented him from leaving because he told him he would need his help "disposing of some things," according to court documents. 

The witness said Sandoval put him in a choke hold and had a "crazed look in his eyes." He was able to break away from Sandoval and ran to get help.

During questioning, Sandoval allegedly told the officers he had just moved into the sober house, and he did not know anybody. He claimed that somebody tried to kill him and that person "got those other guys too," the complaint reads. 

Officers said Sandoval described hearing noises and "the TV said they’re going to kill me and told me to take the opportunity," the charges read. 

The complaint states officers said Sandoval appeared to be under the influence, and Sandoval allegedly told them that he had taken fentanyl. 

Prosecutors say Sandoval has several pending felony charges in Hennepin County including first-degree assault, first-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault. 

Sandoval is scheduled to make his first court appearance Monday morning.